Student grants for dentists and doctors could be slashed – crushing the dreams of those from poorer backgrounds hoping to get into medicine.
It comes after the Chancellor axed funding for nurses in November’s budget.
But Paul Blaylock, chairman of the British Dental Association’s student committee, warned: “If funding is cut for student dentists, the government will shut talented young people out of the dental profession.
“These bursaries represent a lifeline for some students.”
Already a typical dental graduate could expect to find themselves with over £60,000 of debt.
Read more:Nurses march on Downing St to protest Tory plan to scrap training bursaries
Mr Osborne will push through changes to nurse bursary schemes after a consultation in coming weeks, replacing them with loans.
He then plans to target funding for medical students, it is feared.
Health service sources insisted Mr Osborne is willing to risk a huge furore to save cash, despite warnings the cuts will hit students whose families who have the least money.
Less than 10% of student doctors and dentists are from low-income households.
Read more:Tories bypass MPs to sneak through law abolishing all student grants
Harrison Carter, of the British Medical Association students’ committee, said cuts would “reverse progress on widening access to medical schools”.
Medical students’ tuition fees are paid from year five by the NHS Student Bursary Scheme.
Prior to that, there is a means-tested grant for maintenance costs.
The Department of Health denied plans to cut medical student bursaries.
A spokesman also defended the plans to save cash on student nurse funding, costing £826million a year, adding: “Two-thirds of people who apply to be a nurse aren’t accepted for training.
“Our plans mean up to 10,000 more training places.”